Harrison, Holmes Head to Harrisburg

Two current members of the Pittsburgh Steelers will sign autographs Sunday, February 22, at the IUP Alumni Association’s sports card show at the Harrisburg Mall, off I-83 at the Paxton Street Exit.

Readers of IUP Magazine have the chance to order advance autograph tickets for use at the show or to purchase autographs by mail on 8x10-inch color photos or Steelers mini-helmets.

Santonio Holmes

According to Carl Hisiro ’76, the show’s organizer, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver/punt returner and former No. 1 draft pick Santonio Holmes will appear on Sunday from noon to 2:15. Holmes has become a fan favorite as the Steelers’ deep threat and thrilling punt returner. He will sign autographs at the show for $35 each on 8x10-inch color photos, cards, and other nonpremium items. Autographs on footballs, mini-helmets, and 16x20 photos will be $45 each; on game jerseys and full size helmets, they will be $55 each.

Pro Bowl outside linebacker James Harrison will also appear at the show on Sunday. A member of the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL team, Harrison was selected by the players as the team’s 2007 most valuable player. He is considered one of the NFL’s elite linebackers.

Harrison will appear from 2:15 to 4:30 p.m. His autograph prices are $35 each on 8x10-inch color photos, cards, and other nonpremium items; $45 each on footballs, mini-helmets, and 16x20-inch photos; and $55 each on game jerseys and full-size helmets.

Fans who want an inscription (but not a personalization) included by either player should add $10 to their advance ticket purchase or mail order.

Paul Hornung

In addition, former Heisman Trophy winners Paul Hornung and John Cappelletti will be at the card show on Saturday, February 21. Hornung was an All-American at Notre Dame, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1956 as the year’s top college football player. Hornung was drafted as the top pick in the 1957 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, where his career highlights include appearing in the Pro Bowl twice, being named the NFL MVP in 1961, being named to the NFL 1960’s All-Decade Team, and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Hornung was a member of the Packers’ team that played and won Super Bowl I in 1967.

John Cappelletti

Cappelletti won the Heisman Trophy in 1973 as well as receiving All-American honors as a running back for Penn State (the only Penn State player to win the Heisman). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993 and played in the NFL for ten years with the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers.

Hornung will appear from noon to 2:00 p.m., and Cappelletti will appear from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Both Hornung’s and Cappelletti’s autographs will be $30 each on any flat item other than 16x20-inch or larger photos; $40 each on footballs, mini-helmets, and 16x20s; and $50 each on game jerseys or full-size helmets.

The sports card show, which opens Friday, February 20, and continues through Sunday, will feature more than seventy dealer tables selling vintage and new sports cards, sports memorabilia and collectibles, and nonsports cards. Proceeds from the three-day show and from the autograph signings will be donated by the Alumni Association to the Foundation for IUP for the scholarship endowment fund that Harrisburg Area alumni have created to benefit IUP students from the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster area. The Harrisburg Regional Alumni Network has donated more than $97,000 from previous card shows to the Foundation, including more than $72,000 to the scholarship endowment fund.

Mail-order prices (which include return postage and handling) are $43.50 each for Holmes and Harrison on an 8x10-inch color photo supplied by Hisiro and $74 each for either player on Steelers mini-helmets supplied by Hisiro. For other mail-order items, readers are advised to call Hisiro to obtain pricing and mailing instructions.

Mail orders must be received by February 18 to ensure the autograph can be obtained. Those planning to attend the show to obtain autographs may order tickets in advance by sending a check made payable to Carl Hisiro and sent to him prior to the show at 108 Nicolas Court, Harrisburg, PA 17110. For advance ticket sales only, a self-addressed stamped envelope should accompany the order. Every autograph will also come with a James Spence Authentication witness protection certification sticker.

The Regional Alumni Network has a limited number of autographs on color photos of former New York Yankees greats Hector Lopez, Gil McDougald, Tom Tresh, Joe Pepitone, Bob Turley, Rollie Sheldon, Luis Arroyo, Bud Daley, Art Ditmar, and Ryne Duren; former Pittsburgh Pirates greats Bill Virdon, Vernon Law, Bob Friend, and Kevin Young; and current and former Pittsburgh Steelers stars James Farrior, Ike Taylor, Mike Wagner, and John Fuqua for sale from their previous shows. To obtain more information on how to make these purchases, call Hisiro at 717-545-1181 or e-mail him at chisiro@verizon.net. To obtain more information about the upcoming show, check the Harrisburg alumni website.